Mounting means for relays



May 5, 1942;

C. S. SNAVELY MOUNTING MEANS FOR RELAYS Filed Au 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm J A v lNVENTR LZarezz'c .Smwe

m s ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1942 MOUNTING MEANS FOR RELAYS Clarence S. Snavely, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 24, 1939, Serial No. 291,721

16 Claims.

My invention relates to mounting means for relays.

In certain types of signaling systems for railroads, such for example, as the centralized traffic controlling system disclosed in an application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 31,592, filed by myself and others on July 16, 1935, now Patent No. 2,183,155, granted December 12, 1939, as many as several hundred polar and neutral relays are required to effect the desired functions. In view of the large numbers of relays employed, it is essential that these relays should be as compact as possible, and should be so mounted that they can be readily inspected and tested, and, if necessary, replaced by a similar relay without interfering with the operation of the system for any appreciable period of time. In my application, Serial No. 141,311, filed on May '7, 1937, now Patent No. 2,178,289, granted October 31, 1939, I have disclosed a neutral relay which is particularly suitable for use in systems of the type referred to, and in my Patent No. 2,140,604, granted on December 20, 1938, I have disclosed a polar relay which is likewise particularly suitable for use in such systems. tion is to provide novel and improved mounting means for relays of the two types just referred to comprising a pair of plug-in connectors for each relay, these connectors being arranged to serve both as a support for the associated relay, and also as means for establishing external circuit connections with the relay.

Another object of my invention is to construct a pair of plug-in connectors in such manner that only relays having certain preselected characteristics can be plugged into the connectors.

A further object of my invention is to provide, in connection with an electrical connector into which a relay is adapted to be plugged, novel latching means for preventing the relay from becoming accidentally dislodged" from its associated connector.

Other objects and characteristic features of my invention will be made clear as the description proceeds.

The present application is a continuation in part of my prior copending application, Serial No. 141,311, referred to hereinbefore.

I shall describe one form of mounting means embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing two different re- One object of my present inven-,

lays mounted side by side in supporting means embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the plug-in connectors forming part of the supporting means embodying my invention, certain of the parts being broken away or removed to better illustrate the construction of the remaining parts. Figs. 3 and 4 are rear and bottom views, respectively, of the connector shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the locking cover plate forming part of the mounting means illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a key and identification plate comprising part of the mounting means illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. '7 is a detail view of the back cover plate for the relay A illustrated in Fig. 1 showing the cover plate as it is initially moulded. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7 showing a portion of the material removed from the bottom of the cover plate in a preselected manner to provide a means for preventing a relay having the wrong characteristics from being plugged into a pair of connectors. Fig. 9 is a right-hand side view of the end plate 62 shown in Fig. 1 and comprising part of the mounting means embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference character A designates a polar relay of the general type described and claimed in my Patent No. 2,140,604, referred to hereinbefore, and the reference character B designates a neutral relay of the general type described in my application, Serial No. 141,311, also referred to hereinbefore. My present invention is concerned primarily with a mounting means for relays of these general types, and not with the details of construction of the relays except insofar as the detailed parts cooperate with the mounting means, and it is believed, therefore, that for a clear understanding of my present invention, it is sufiicient to point out that each of these relays comprises a plurality of contact members I, the outer ends of which project outwardly from the opposite sides of the relay in superposed parallel spaced relation, and the inner ends of which cooperate with each other to form contacts, or are connected with the energizing winding of the relay, as the case may be, it being noted that the neutral relay is provided with a greater number of projecting contact members than the polar relay, and that the spacing of the contact members of the two relays is different.

In accordance with my present invention, the mounting means for the relay A comprises two plug-in connectors CI and C2 which are secured at their lower ends to the upper side of a support 2 in the proper horizontally spaced relation to cooperate with the outer ends of the contact members I at the opposite sides of the relay, while the mounting means for the relay B comprises two other connectors C3 and 04 which are similarly secured at their lower ends to the support 2 in the proper horizontally spaced relation to cooperate with the outer ends of the contact members I of relay B at the opposite sides of this latter relay. All four of the plug-in connectors CI, C2, C3 and C4 are similar except for certain minor differences necessitated by the differences in spacing of the projecting contact members of these two relays, and the fact that the connectors CI and C3 are left-hand connectors, while the remaining two connectors are right-hand connectors, and it is believed, therefore, that a clear understanding of all will be had from a description of only one.

Referring particularly to the connector. CI shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, this connector comprises a block .6 of insulating material having moulded therein a plurality of slots I each of which receives a conducting strip 8. The slots I are spaced apart vertically the same distances as the projecting contact members I on the associated relay, and are made somewhat wider vertically than the combined thicknesses of the i conducting strips and the contact members I except for two longitudinally spaced restricted portions 9 and I0, which portions are just wide enough to receive the strips with a snug fit. These restricted portions each engage the associated conducting strip 8 at the opposite ends of an offset portion II formed. in the strip, and thus prevent the strips from moving endwise in the slots. The front end of each conducting strip is supplied with an upturned bend I2 which engages the associated slot at a radius I3 provided at the forward end of the slot to insure that the relay contact members will be properly guided into the slot, and the portion of each strip between the upturned bend and the offset portion I I is formed into a gradual curve in such manner that the strip will exert an initial spring force against the radius and the lower side of the slot to provide a good cleaning action when the relay contact members are inserted into the slot, but that, any bending of the strips caused by engagement with the relay contact members I will not cause the strips to take a permanent set. Furthermore, the parts are so proportioned that sufficient spring force will be exerted between each strip and the associated contact member when the contact members are in the slots to insure good electrical connection between the strip and the associated contact member. The rear end of each conducting strip projects rearwardly "beyond the rear face of the block for a suitable of their lengths by means of insulating plates I5 disposed in recesses I6. These plates are secured to the block by means of rivets H, or their equivalent, and serve to hold the fingers in place in the slots. The'block 6 is secured to the support 2, which as here shown is in the form of a T-bar, by means of two screws I8 which pass through clearance holes in the support and are screwed into threaded inserts I9 moulded into the block.

The block 6 of the connector CI is further provided in the side nearest the relay A, as viewed in Fig. 1, with a recess which is directly opposite a similar recess provided in the block 6 of the connector C2. These two recesses cooperate with lugs 2I which are moulded or otherwise formed on the relay A to position the relay relative to the connectors when the relay is being plugged in in such manner that the contact members I will align properly with the slots in' the connectors, and these recesses also serve as a preselecting means whereby only those relays which have lugs properly located to enter the recesses 20 can be plugged into the connectors CI and C2. In actual practice, lugs which will align with the recesses 20 will only be provided on one type of relays such for example as polar relays similar to the relay A, and it follows, therefore, that these lugs serve to prevent a relayfrom being replaced by any relay which is not a similar relay, whereby the proper operation of the system is guaranteed.

The two connectors C3 and C4 are each provided with a pair of vertically spaced recesses 23 and 24 which cooperate with lugs 25 formed on the relay B to position this latter relay relative to the connectors when it is being plugged in, and to prevent the wrong, type of relay from being accidentally plugged into these connectors.

It should be noted that while the connectors shown are particularly adapted to cooperate with relays of the particular type shown, similar connectors may .be utilized in connection with other types of relays or electrical devices having laterally projecting contact members. It should also be noted that when connectors of the type described are used with other relays or devices, the connectors will preferably be provided with 00- operating recesses and lugs similar to those provided in connection with the connectors and relays shown, but these latter lugs and recesses will be so positioned that only relays or devices of such other type can be plugged into a particular set of connectors.

As has been pointed out hereinbefore, relays of the type shown are intended to be used in railway signaling systems wherein large numbers of relays are employed, and it frequently happens in such systems that a number of relays may be identical in physical appearance, but that the relays may =be calibrated differently to enable them to operate on different voltages or different current values or to cause them to have different pick-up and release times, etc. It is obvious that if a relay having a particular calibration were replaced in a system by a relay having a diiferent calibration, even through the two relays were otherwise identical, the operation of the system might be impaired. This is undesirable, and in order to prevent it from happening I have provided in connection with each pair of connectors identification and registration means which I will now describe for preventing a relay having the wrong operating characteristics from being plugged into a pair of connectors.

As here shown, these means comprise a key plate provided at each end with a laterally projecting ear 3I which ears fit into recesses 33 moulded into the lower sides of the blocks 6 of the two associated connectors in such manner that when the connectors are secured to the frame 2 with the ears 3| in the recesses 33 the key plate will be automatically secured in the desired operative position.

The key plate 30 is formed with a vertical front portion 30a upon which the name or number of the relay is intended to be marked or stenciled, or to which a suitable identification tag may be secured, and with a horizontal portion 30b provided with a plurality of holes 300, ten such holes being provided in the plate illustrated in Fig. 6. These holes selectively receive a plurality of pins 34 which, when the associated relay is being plugged into the associated connector, enter recesses 35 formed on some part of the case of the relay, preferably the back plate. Each pin 34 is formed at its lower end with an annular flange which rests on top of the support, and which has a larger diameter than the diameter of the holes 300, whereby when a pin is placed in a hole and the key plate is fastened in place, it will be automatically held by the plate in an upright position. The slots in the relay case into which the pins fit may, if desired, be moulded into the back plate or some other part of the relay case in the desired preselected positions, but due to the large numbers of moulds which would be required to accomplish this result where a large number of relays are required having a large number of different operating characteristics, I prefer to mould each back plate with a plurality of numbers each of which aligns with a different hole in the key plate when the relay is in position to be plugged in and each of which is sep arated from the adjacent number by a mark in the manner shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and to subsein the case of the relay A, the back plate of which is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the material has been removed from the spaces which were originally numbered 2, 5, l and 9 and I accordingly designate this relay as piece l34680 since this is a number which is formed by reading from. left to right the numerals remaining on the back plate. All relays having the same calibration values will be similarly identified during the process of manufacture, and it follows, therefore, that I have provided a combined registration and identification means which will enable a repairman or maintenance man to readily determine the proper relay to replace a relay which is to be removed from service, and which at the same time insures that he cannot plug in a relay having the wrong piece number. It will be understood, of course, that if a repairman or maintenance man does try to plug in a wrong relay, one or more of the pins 34 will engage a space from which the material has not been removed, and will thus effectively prevent the relay from being plugged in. It will also be understood that While I have shown four pins in place in the particular key plate associated with relay A, a greater or lesser number of pins may be employed, as desired.

A similar identification and registration means will of course be provided for each type of relay which is used in the system, whether it be a polar relay similar to relay A, a neutral relay similar to relay B, or some other relay which is mounted in the same manner as relays A and B. It should be particularly pointed out that while in describing the identification and registration means embodying my invention, I have for convenience referred to the projections carried by the key plate as pins and the openings which are provided in the relay for the reception of the pins as recesses, it will be obvious that the spaces between the pins carried by the key plate might be regarded as recesses and the projections on the relay which define the recesses as pins, in which event the registration means might be said to comprise projections on the relay cooperating with recesses formed on the key plate, or as intermeshing projections one set of which is formed on the relay and the other set of which is formed on the key plate. It should further be pointed out that the projections on either part might be provided in a variety of other ways, the important thing being that the resulting combination of registering parts acts to prevent a relay which is not provided with the proper characteristics from being mounted at the particular location on the support which is intended only for relays having the proper characteristics.

One advantage of the above described identifying and registration means is that a relay of the correct type but wrong piece number cannot be plugged into a pair of connectors.

Referring now again to Fig. 1, it will be ob served that the connector CI for the relay A and the connector C4 for the relay B are secured to the frame 2 side by side with their contiguous surfaces in engagement. The mounting means embodying my invention further comprises a plurality of cover plates 36, one of which is associated with each pair of similarly disposed connectors for the purpose of securing the relays in place in the connectors, and for the further purpose of preventing accidental contact by metal objects with the contact members of the relay or the front ends of the conducting strips, or both, in a manner which might cause short circuits. Only one such cover plate is shown in the drawings, and this cover plate comprises a body portion 36a provided at one end with a U-shaped return bend 36c and at the other end with an L-shaped portion 36b which is hingedly connected to a U-shaped flat spring 31. Spring 31 fits into mating recesses 38 formed in the contiguous faces of the blocks 6 of the connectors Cl and C2 in such manner that when the spring is once inserted in place within the recesses 38 its inherent resiliency will cause its front end to engage the upper side of the slot formed by the recesses behind shoulders 38a, whereby the spring cannot be removed except by inserting a flat strip of metal into the rear end of the slot above the spring and forcing the upper end downwardly to a position in which it clears the shoulders 38a. The spring may then be pulled out from the front end of the slot. To facilitate inserting the spring into the slot from the front of the connectors, the forward ends of the slot are beveled at 39 in the manner shown. The body portion 36a of the cover plate 36 cooperates adjacent its lower end with forwardly extending laterally aligned projections moulded on to the blocks 6 of the two contiguous connectors, while the U- shaped return bend 360 is adapted to hook over upstanding forwardly extending laterally aligned projections 6| moulded on to the blocks 6 of the connectors. When the cover plate is in its locking position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the bend 35c hooks'over the projections ti on the adjacent connectorsCl and C4, and under these conditions the back sides of the edges of the cover plate overliethe forward faces of the relays A and B and thus hold the relays in place in the connectors. When it is desired to remove a relay, it is necessary to move the cover plate to its released position, in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and to accomplish this result it is necessary to push upwardly on the lower leg of the L-shaped portion 351) in a manner to raise the U-shaped portion 36c above the projections BI and then pull outwardly on the upper end of the cover plate, whereupon the cover plate will drop by gravity to its unlatched position. This may be conveniently done by the thumb and one of the fingers of either hand. To latch the cover plate in place the reverse procedure is followed. It will be noted that the necessary movement of the cover plate required to clear the projection BI is permitted by the resiliency of the spring 31.

It will be obvious that at either end of a rack of relays, such for example as at the left-hand end in Fig. 1, only one connector will be necessary, and to enable the cover plate to be used at these ends 'I provide end pieces similar to the end piece t2, shown in Figs. 1 and 9. These end pieces are so constructed that they can be used at either end of a rack by causing them to face in the proper direction, and each end piece is provided at its lower end with a recess 62a to cooperate with the spring 31 of the cover plate as shown in Fig. 9, and at its upper end with an upstanding forwardly extending projection 63 to cooperate with the U-shaped return bend 350 of the cover plate.

One advantage of mounting means embodying my invention is that if a circuit failure occurs for some undetermined cause when a relay is in place, all circuits through the relay and associated connectors may be tested from the front of the relay without removing the relay or breaking its seal, both sides of all contacting surfaces being accessible by lowering the cover plate to the removal position. For example, the failure may be isolated at either plug connector contacting surface, at the contacts of the relay, or in the circuit leading up to the connector. In the usual type of plug-in connector it is necessary to move the connections in order to test, which disturbs the contacting surfaces between the relay and connector, and if the failure had occurred at this point it is impossible to be certain of this fact.

Another advantage of mounting means embodying my invention is that all break-down connections are on the front side of the frame, and all permanent or soldered connections are on the rear side of the frame. This facilitates the installation process as well as testing procedure.

A further advantage of mounting means embodying my invention is that all contacting surfaces are protected from injury as well as from dirt. The locking cover plates prevent injury to the conducting strips and also act as a dirt cover. Also the contacting surfaces of the plug connector conducting strips are underneath the strips so that they shed rather than collect dust.

Another advantage of mounting means embodying my invention is that the pressure between the relay contact members and the conducting strips is assured since the shape, proportions and materials of the strips have been chosen with this end in view. This insures proper cleaning action'when the relay is inserted and removed. a

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of mounting means embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a pair of laterally spaced plug-in connectors having openings adapted to receive laterally projecting contact members on a selected one of a plurality of physically similar electrical devices and conduct-' ing members disposed in said openings for establishing electrical connections with said contact members, of means independent of the contact fingers for preventing any device but said selected device from being plugged into said connectors.

2. The combination with a plurality of electrical devices of different types each having projecting contact members extending laterally from the opposite sides thereof and a pair of plug-in connectors associated with each device for establishing external circuit connections therewith, of means formed on the connectors. of each pair cooperating with means provided on each device of a particular type for preventing any other type of device from being plugged into said pair of connectors.

3. The combination with electrical devices to which external circuit connections are estab lished by means of plug-in connectors, and which are adapted to be at times replaced by similardevices having the same operating characterist1cs, of means on each device selected in accordance with its operating characteristics and adapted to register with other means associated with the" connectors When said device is plugged in, said means being different for devices having different operating characteristics. 4. The combination with a plurality of electrical relays which are mounted on a support by means of pairs of plug-in connectors in such 7. a particular pair of connectors.

5. The combination with a plurality of relays to which external circuit connections are established by plugging them into connectors mounted on racks, of means on the racks registering with means on the relays for preventing relays other than those having predetermined characteristics from being plugged in at any particular relay location, said means being preselected in accordance with the operating characteristics of the relay and being different for different relays having different operating characteristics;

6. The combination with a support upon which relays having similar operating characteristics are adapted to be interchangeably mounted'at a particular location, of a key plate secured to said support at said location and provided with a plurality of holes, and removable pins disposed 1n certain preselected holes chosen in accordance with the operating characteristics which relays which are to be mounted on said support at said location should have in such manner that only relays having openings to receive said pins can be mounted at said location.

'7. The combination with a support upon which relays having different operating characteristics are adapted to be mounted at different locations, of a plurality of key plates one secured to said support at each relay location and each provided with means selected in accordance with the characteristics which relays which are to be mounted on the support at such location are to have and adapted to cooperate with registering means provided on the relays to prevent a wrong relay from being mounted on the support at any location.

8. In combination, a support having a plurality of plug-in connectors disposed thereon in pairs for mounting a plurality of relays on the support, one pair of connectors being provided for each relay and each connector being formed with slots containing conducting strips for receiving projecting contact members provided on the associated relay, the two connectors of adjacent pairs being disposed side by side, mating recesses formed in adjacent connectors, and a cover plate hinged to a spring fitting into said recesses and provided at its free end with means for engaging projections on the associated connectors for latching the relays in place in the adjacent pairs of connectors.

9. In combination, a frame, two plug-in connectors secured to said frame in parallel spaced relation, each said connector being provided with contact members adapted to engage the contact members of a relay device to establish electrical contact therewith and with a recess in its lower face, a key plate secured to said frame by means of ears one of which is disposed in each of said recesses, and registry means on said plate adapted to register with other means on said relay when said relay is being plugged into said connectors to prevent a relay from being plugged into said connectors unless it is provided with the proper registry means.

10. In combination, a frame, two plug-in connectors secured to said frame in parallel spaced relation and each provided in its lower face with a recess, an electrical device adapted to be plugged into said connectors provided in its lower portion with registry means, and a key plate secured to said frame by means of ears one of which is disposed in each of said recesses and having mounted therein in preselected arrangement registry means adapted to cooperate with the registry means on said device, said registry means being susceptible of different arrangements, whereby the type of relay which can be plugged into said connectors can be preselected.

11. In combination, a frame, a pair of plugin connectors secured to said frame in parallel spaced relation, an electrical device adapted to be supported on said frame and connected with external circuits through the medium of said connectors, and registry means secured to said frame and selected in accordance with the type of device which is intended to be mounted in said connectors and effective to prevent a device which is not provided with cooperating registry means from being plugged into said connectors.

12. In combination with a support upon which similar devices having similar characteristics only are adapted to be interchangeably mounted at a particular location, of means for preventing devices having the wrong characteristics from being mounted on said support at said location comprising projections fixed with respect to said support and adapted to fit between projections formed on each device which is to be mounted on the support at said particular location, said projection being arranged in a preselected manner which is individual to said one location and devices of the type adapted to be mounted at such location.

13. In combination, a support, plug-in connectors secured to said support for establishing electrical contact with an electrical device to be mounted on the support, a key plate secured to the support and provided with a plurality of holes, pins disposed in selected ones of said holes, and recesses formed in said device opposite said pins for receiving said pins while said device is being plugged into said connectors, whereby only preselected ones of similar devices can be plugged into said connectors.

14. In combination, a support provided with means adapted to support an electrical device of one type only at one location and an electrical device of a different type at a different location, means at each location adapted to prevent devices of the wrong type from being supported at such location, and other means for effecting a further selection in the device which can be supported at either location to limit the devices to certain preselected ones.

15. The combination with mounting means for supporting an electrical device, of means provided on the device adapted to cooperate with means provided on the support to effect a selection between devices having similar physical characteristics but different operating characteristics, at least one of said means being formed by providing removable portions preselected ones of which are removed to form recesses and the other means comprising projecting pins adapted to enter the recesses formed by the removed portions, said pins and removable portions being susceptible of a variety of different arrangements to provide a relatively large number of combinations.

16. The combination with mounting means for supporting an electrical device, of means provided on the device adapted to cooperate with means provided on the support to effect a selection between devices having similar 'physical characteristics but different operating characteristics, at least one of said means being formed by providing numbered removable portions preselected ones of which are removed to form recesses and the other means comprising projecting pins adapted to enter the recesses formed by the removed portions, said pins and removable portions being susceptible of a variety of difierent arrangements to provide a relatively large number of combinations, and the numbers remaining after the portions are removed being utilized as a piece number for identification purposes.

CLARENCE S. SNAVELY. 

